Mail-bag delivery and catching apparatus.



, I .w. s. JAMES. MAIL BA G DELIVERY AND'OATGHING QPPABATUS'.

A PPLIOATIOH FILED FEB. 25, 1910-- I Patented llll . .Hin

m vw w. '8. JAMES. HAIL BAG DELIVERY AND GATOHING APPARATUS.

Patented 0011,25, 1910.

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nrmouxbx run) up. :6, 1m.

W-. S. JAMES.

MAILBAG DELIVERY AND OATOHING nunuus.

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Patented Oct. 25, 1910;

WILLIAM S. JAMES, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL-BAG DELIVERY AND GATGHING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Application filed February 25, 1910. Serial No. 545,840.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. JAMES, citizen of the United States, residin at Altoona, in the county of Blair and tate of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Delivery and Catching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatuses for catching and delivering mail-bags or the like.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a device of the above character, capable of catchin a mail-bag without injury to itself or sai mail-bag.

A further object of my, invention is to provide means for simultaneously transferring mail-bags from moving trains, or from a moving train to a station.

A further object of the invention is to rovide a delivery device which is capable of holding the mail pouch in such a manner as to positively prevent accidental displacement of the same, said device being readily releasable when the-proper means engage the mail-bag for removing the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mail-bag crane which is adapted to be arranged in a horizontal position when delivering or catching the mail bag, and which will automatically drop to a vertical position after performing-its duty.

A further object of my invention is to provide adevice of the above character, which is simple in construction, stron durable, 1 positive in its operation, an not liable to derangements.

My invention consists generally in the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described. f

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificatiomand in' which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device attached to a car, parts being broken away. Fi 2 is a fragmentary detail view of parts s own in Fig. 1. 'Fi 3 is a side elevation ofthe'device applie to a stationary support. .Fig. 4 is an end view of the same ta en at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5. is a detail view showingthe manner of securing the crane to the stationary support. Fig. 6 is a top lan view of twin cranes secured .to cars.

Fig. 7 is a detail view of the delivery end of the crane and showing the device secured to a mail bag associated therewith.

In the drawings, reference being had to Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, the numeral 1 designates as a whole, a baggage car having a suitable door 2.

The numeral 3 designates as a whole, a mail-bag catching and delivering crane, This crane comprises a body portion 1, which has formed upon one side thereof and at substantially right angles thereto a catching fork 5. Formed upon the body portion 4 is warm 6, which extends in the same direction as the fork 5 and is arranged at an angle to the same. The arm 6 extends preferably slightly beyond the fork 5 and is bifurcated as at 7 for the reception of an angular pawl 8, which is pivotally secured to the arm 6 as shown at 9. One end of the pawl 8 is arranged between the fork 5 and the arm 6 as shown, and said end is capable of engaging the fork 5. The opposite end of the pawl 8 is apertured as at 10 for connection with a retractile coil spring 11, which has its other end fixedly secured tothe arm 6-as shown at 12. The body portion A is further provided upon one side thereof with an arm 13, which extends in an opposite direction to the fork 5 and forms therewith a; straight angle. The arm 13 and its associated members form a delivery; device. The arm 13 forms the stationary jaw for the de livery device, otally mounted a movable jaw 1 which .has its inner end provided with spaced. cars 15, which straddle the arm 13 and are pivotally connected to the same by means of a bolt 16. The stationary and movable jaws 13 and 14 have their outer ends grooved or bifurcated to form spaced strips 17 the openings between the strips 1.7 of the jaws 13 and 14 being in alinement with each other. The jaws 13 and 14 are provided upon. their inner edges with cut out portions 18, which cooperate together to form a subs'tantiall elliptical openin .19 as shown. A yo e 20 straddles the movable jaw 14 inwardly of the opening 19 andis pivotally mounted upon the aw 13 as shown at 21. This yoke is provided with cars 22, which are adapted to en age pro ections 23, which in turn are rigi y mounted upqnxg ppositesides'of thejaw 14:. The body and upon said arm 13 is pivcatching mail bags.

portion 4 has formed thereon or is extended to form a supporting arm 24, which is rigidly connected to a horizontal rod 25 in a manner to be described. The free end of the sup-- porting arm 24 is reduced and screw threaded as at 26, which reduced portion 26 extends through a suitable opening formed centrally upon the horizontal rod 25 and is engaged by a clamping crank 27 provided With a suitable internally screw threaded opening 28. The horizontal rod 25 is preferably provided with a recess 29 forthe reception of a portion of the supporting arm 24 as shown, and since the arm 24 is preferably square in cross-section or other than round it is obvious that the same cannot turn upon the rod 25. By this construction it is to be understood that the crane may be readily removed from the rod 25 or reversed when desired and again clamped to'the rod 25 in its new position.

The horizontal rod 25 is provided with reduced cylindrical ends 30, which are slidably and rotatably mounted within brackets 31, which in turn are rigidly secured to the door jambs by means of bolts 32 or the like, The horizontal rod 25 is made shorter than the space between the brackets 31 as shown, whereby the same is permitted to have a longitudinal movement, for a purpose to be hereinafter apparent. The horizontal rod 25 is provided near its ends with. angle brackets'33 which are adjustably secured to the same by means of bolts 3.4 carrying thumb nuts 35. When the crane 3 is in its operative position the same is substantially horizontally arranged and either of the angle brackets 33 may be employed to retain said crane in its horizontal position. This is accomplished as shown in F i g. 2, by the angle bracket 33 being clamped to the horizontal rod 25 and its freeend disposed to engage a portion of the bracket31. The direction in which the car is traveling will of course determine which angle bracket is to be employed, it'being understood that the rod 25* is to move an opposite direction to the travel of said car when delivering or The angle ibra'cket not employed is swung inwardly and clamped to the r'od 25 so that the same will not engage the b-racket'31 near it when the crane swings downwardly after the longitudinal movement of the same. It is thus seen that by the employment of the adjustable brackets Y 33 either may be used which will permit of the operation of-the crane 3 in either direction. It is to be understood that cranes similar to the one hereinabove describedmay be placed upon two cars which are travelingi'n opposite directions-arid from which it is desired to exchange m'ail bags. This 'is shown in Fig 6, wherein twin-crarieS-Bare arranged upon the baggage cars '1. M' y crane is particularly --advantageous inasmuch as the same may be used to deliver or catch the mail bag as desired.

Instead of mounting the twin cranes 3 upon two cars above described, one of the cranes may be mounted upon a fixed support 36, which is arranged at a desired location at the side of the track, as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. The construction of the crane 3 is precisely the same when used in connection with the support 36, as the construction of the same hereinabove described in connection with Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 7, except that the rod 25 is dispensed with and the arm 24 provided with a collar 24 which is preferably cast integral therewith. The

collar 24 is rotatably and slidably mounted upon a pin 37 which is supported by spaced ears 38 and 39, which are connected by a section of material 40 It is to be noted that the ears 38 and 39 are sufliciently spaced apart to permit of'the longitudinal movement of the crane 3. The ear '39 is provided with a straight edge 41 adapted for engagement with a section of material 42, which is preferably cast integral with-the arm 24 and is arranged adjacent the collar 24 and at right angles tothe arm 24. Thesection 42 and car 41 coeperate together for holding the crane 3-in its operative horizontal position, as illustrated in Fig. 5. It is to be understood that when the crane 3 is moved longitudinally-that the section 42 will be disengaged from the ear 39- andthe-crane accordingly permitted'to gravitate to a vertical pos-itlon, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The bracket comprising the ears 3-8 and 39 connected by the section 40 is removably connected to the-upright 36 by means of a plate 43 provided with a horizontally arranged recess adapted for the reception of said section 40 as shown. This plate 43 is rigidly connected to the upper end of the upright" 36 by means oi-b'olts or the like. I

The section 40' is provided centrally thereof a trunnion 45 which passes throughsui-table openings formed in the plate 43' and support 36, the free end ofthis trunnion being screw threaded as-at"46-forthe reception of a clamping crank 47, as shown in- Fig. 4. A washer-48 may preferably'be dis osed between the crank 47 and the uprigiit 36 scribed it is obvious that the: crane 3 may be" readily removed fromthe support 36 or reversed upon the same and againsuitably clamped in its new position. "lhiswill permit of the crane-being adjusted to catch or deliver mail'bags from' trains-runningin opposits directions;

Special attenti'orris'now called to Fig. 7

wherein is" illustrated a bracket 49' com rising a sectielrof metal 50-11 on one on of which is :rigidly secured a s eleton rtion 51. The section 50 is-prcvid ed near-its'centier -'with trunnio11s--=52 adapted" :Eor: arrange- By the construction above dement within the opening 19, the section 50 being arranged between the sect-ions 17 as shown and extending laterally beyond the same for engagement with the .free end of the yoke 20, as illustrated in Fig. 7 The section 50 is further provided as at 53 with an eye-bolt 54 to which may be secured a suitable mail bag 55 by any suitable means as shown.

The operation of my device will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 6 and 7. The mail bag 5 is connected to the bracket 49 which is in turn arranged Within the jaws 13 and 14 as above described. The yoke 20 by virtue of its engagement with the projections 23 will prevent the movable jaw 14 from being accidentally displaced. The trunnions 52 being arranged within the opening 19 will prevent the bracket 49 from being disengaged from the jaws 13 and 14 until the jaw 14 is swung away from the jaw 13. The mail bag will thus be securely held to the crane 3 until the twin crane 3 is advanced to the position shown in dotted lines. The fork 5 of the twin crane is then inserted within the skeleton portion 51, and upon further movement of said twin crane this skeleton portion is engaged by the junctionof the fork 5 and arm 6. This engagement will cause the bracket 49 to be oscillated about the trunnions 52 as an axis whereby the section 50 will engage the yoke 20 and free it from engagement with the projections 23. The jaw 14 will then be free-to be swung upon its pivot 16 and the bracket 49 will then be withdrawn from engagement with said jaws 18 and 14. The pull exerted upon the crane when disengaging the bracket 49 from the same causes the entire crane to move longitudinally and thus drop to a vertical position as hereinabove described. After the bracket 49 is arranged upon the fork 5 the spring 11 will hold pawl 8 in engagement with said fork and thus make it impossible for said bracket to be accidentally displaced from the same. It is obvious that I have described the transfer of only one mail bag from one twin crane to another, and it is to be understood that each crane may deliver a mail bag simultaneously to the other, however the operation in this case is the same and need not be described.

It is to be understood that I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, and changes in details, form, shape and sizes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention as specified in the appended claims.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a delivery device swingingly mounted upon said support, comprising a jaw, a second jaw pivotally connected to said first named jaw, said second jaw being rovided with projections, and a yoke carried by said first named for engagement with said projections.

2. In apparatus of the character described, comprising a support, a crane movably mounted u on said support, comprising a catching fhrk, a stationary jaw connected to said fork and having its free end bifurcated, a movable jaw having its free end bifurcated associated with said first named jaw, and means for locking said movable jaw in a desired position.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a sup-port, a crane connected to said support, comprising a stationary jaw, a movable jaw, said jaws being bifurcated and provided with oppositely arranged cut-out portions. 7

4. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a crane, comprising a catching fork, pivotally mounted upon said support and capable of moving longitudinally, and means whereby said crane may be readily reversed upon said support.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a shaft pivotally and longitudinally movably mounted upon the same, a crane adjustably mounted upon said shaft, comprising a catching fork and stationary and movable jaws.

6. In apparatus of the character described, a bracket comprising a skeleton portion provided with a strip secured thereto, said skeleton portion being adapted for the reception of a catching fork, said strip being provided with trunnions, and means for securing said bracket to a' mail bag.

7. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a delivery device connected to said support, comprising a jaw, a movable jaw associated with said first named jaw, and means for normally locking said movable jaw in its closed position and for limiting the same in its opening movement.

8. In apparatus of the character (1&- scribed, a support, a delivery device connected to said support, comprising a rigid jaw, a movable jaw connected to said first named jaw, and a yoke movably mounted upon one of said jaws for normally locking the same together.

9. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a delivery device connected to said support, comprising a rigid jaw, a movable jaw pivotally connected to said rigid jaw, and a yoke pivotally e0nnected to said rigid aw and straddling the movable jaw.

10. In apparatus of the character described, a support, a delivery device connected to said support, com rising a rigid jaw, a movable jaw pivotall y connected to said rigid jaw, a yoke pivotally connected to said rigid jaw for controlling the movable jaw; in combination ith means 'se'eured te, the mail ba ,said means being held byisaid' jaws and a apted to actuate said yoke up being removed therefrom. 5 11. In apparatus of the character scribed, cooperating gri' ping jaws for normally lrolding-sai jaws n I ping position, in-combination-with r ns. -1'5'.In apparatus Fro th secured to the mail-bag adapted to be he (1 scribed, a support, a shaft ivo 10 by said gripping jaws and to actuate said slidably mounted upon said support;

first named jaws when being removed bag catching and delivering device adjustfrom said jaws. ably connected to said shaft, and means con- 12. In apparatus of the character denected to said shaft near each end thereof 35. scribed, a delivery device, a support to to releasably hold said catching and deliver- 15 which said delivery device is connected, said ing device in an approximately horizontal delivery deviw comprising cooperating biposition, when traveling in either direction.

furcated jaws, and releasable means for re- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature taining said jaws in a gripping position. in presence of two witnesses.

13. In apparatus of the character de- WILLIAM S. JAMES. 20 scribed, a support, a delivery device con- Witnesses:

nected to said support, comprising a rigid P. M. SWANGER,

jaw, a movable jaw pivotally connected to H. C. MADDEN. 

